Napkin



y 12, 1 E. A. STAPLES 2,282,751

NAPKIN Filed March 22, 1939 ZZZ Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED STATES PAT-ET OFFICE NAPKIN Eugene A. Staples, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application March 22, 1939, Serial No. 263,425

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in napkins and similar articles, and the same has for v its object to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient device which may be readily incorporated into a napkin or secured thereto so as to enable the user to conveniently attach or remove the same from a part of the garment of the user.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide an attaching device for the napkin which may be incorporated into or attached to a napkin formed of paper or other material which device may be brought into embracing engagement with some portion of the garment of the user of the napkin in order to hold the napkin attached thereto and to prevent the accidental displacement thereof.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide an attaching device in the form of a metallic member which may be secured either directly to a corner or part of a paper napkin, or be attached thereto by a suitable gummed cover or seal, and be bendable therewith in order to permit of the napkin being detachably secured to some portion of the garment of the user.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a napkin with an attaching device in the form of a fiat member preferably formed of thin metal which, while readily bendable or deformable, is nevertheless sufiiciently firm to retain its shape when folded into embracing engagement with a portion of the garment f the user.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a napkin, more particularly one formed of paper, with an attaching device in the form of a thin, metal strip adapted tobe folded transversely intermediate its ends to form a pair of clamping members or jaws adapted to embrace a portion of the garment of the user in order to hold the napkin attached thereto in such manner that the same may be readily removable.

It is well known that paper napkins, and more particularly those made of heavier grades of paper are so stiff, smooth and slippery that it is practically impossible to retain the same in place in ones lap, and as a result an undue number thereof are being constantly wasted. To overcome this inconvenience and disadvantage is one of the objects of this invention.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends m invention consists in the novel features of construction, and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.v

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a face view of a napkin with one form of attaching device constructed according to and embodying my said invention applied thereto; r

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail face view showing one corner of a napkin with the attaching means thereon;

Fig. 3'is an enlarged detail face view of the pliable attaching member;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail side view showing a portion of a garment with the attaching means securing the napkin thereto;

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail face view illustrating a modified form of attaching member, and

Fig. 8 is an edge view of the device shown in face view at Fig. 7.

In said drawing I0 designates a paper napkin of common, well-known form, and H the attaching means whereby the napkin may be secured to a portion of the garment of the wearer in such manner as to be readily detachable therefrom.

The attaching means ll consists of a longitudinal piece of thin, readily pliable material l2, such as sheet tin, brass or other metal or material, and while the devicemay be of any desired outline or shape the same is here shown as preferably of more or less diamond shape having substantially semi-circular recesses or indentations 13 at its upper and lowerapexes, and a vertical guide line l4 dividing the device vertically and serving to direct the line of bend when the ends l5 are bent together to form clamping jaws.

The device H may be applied to the surface of the napkin l 0 in any suitable'or convenient manner, and in the present instance is shown as secured to the surface of the napkin l0, adjacent one corner l6 thereof by means of a paster or seal formed of paper or the like and provided upon its under surface with an adhesive coating I! which, when moistened, will be caused to adhere to both the surface of the device I2 and the surface of the napkin in surrounding said device so that when the corner of the napkin is folded or doubled as shown at Fig. 5 the attaching device I2 and its covering or seal l6 will be folded or doubled simultaneously therewith and the ends or jaws l 5 brought together and embrace a fold IQ of the garment and hold the napkin attached to the garment.

In the construction illustrated at Figs. '7 and 8, the device Ii. is constructed essentially as hereinabove described except that each end or jaw I5 is provided with a tongue or spur l5 which is struck up therefrom, and is adapted to be passed through the material of the napkin Ill and then secured thereto by bending the same upwardly, as indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 8. In this construction the sealing or covering l6, described in connection with Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, may be used or not as desired.

The attaching device may be initially applied to the paper napkin by the manufacturer thereof, or the same may be made separately and supplied to the person dining and applied thereto by 7 him to the napkin when he is about to dine.

Further, where the attaching device is provided with a paster or seal l6, as described, the same may be utilized for advertising purposes to advertise any article, product or service associated with food or otherwise.

It will be noted that my invention provides a simple, inexpensive and eflicient device which may be readily attached to a napkin or the like whereby the user is enabled to attach the napkin to some part of his garment in order to prevent the napkin slipping from his lap to the floor.

Having thus described my said invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A napkin of paper or other material including an attaching device comprising a normally flat relatively narrow piece of thin, pliable metal having a wide intermediate portion and tapering opposite ends and foldable transversely along a weakened line at said intermediate portion; said ends forming a pair of registering clamping jaws adapted to be folded together and embrace a part of the garment of the user together with a portion of the napkin therebetween, and attaching tongues struck up from said device at its said tapering ends and extending through the napkin for securing said ends separately to the napkin to hold the device in flat, extended form to the napkin.

2. A napkin of paper or other material including an attaching device comprising a normally fiat piece of thin, pliable metal having a wide intermediate portion and tapering opposite ends and foldable transversely along a scored line at said intermediate portion; said ends forming a pairof registering clamping jaws adapted to be folded together and embrace a part of the garment of the user together with a portion of the napkin therebetween, means at said tapering ends for securing the device in flat, extended form to the napkin, and a covering for said attaching device comprising a piece of flexible material cooperating with the securing means at the tapering ends of said device for maintaining said device secured normally in flat, extended form upon the napkin.

EUGENE A. STAPLES. 

